Pearl City takes control with win over Waipahu

The race is far from decided, but the Pearl City Chargers find themselves at the head of the pack in the Oahu Interscholastic Association White Conference after clearing a major hurdle last night.

The Chargers (4-0-1 overall, 3-0-1 OIA White) enter the final four weeks of the regular season as the only undefeated team in the conference after beating previously unbeaten Waipahu 13-6 to leapfrog the Marauders in the standings.

"This was our biggest test," Pearl City coach Mel Bicoy said. "First it was Kaimuki, and this was going to be our biggest test so far. But you still have Kaiser out there and Roosevelt -- they'll always come at you strong."

The Pearl City defense contained a Waipahu offense that entered the week with the OIA's most productive rushing attack, while the offense scored on its first possessions of both the first and second halves.

Pearl City quarterback Kawika Borden completed six of seven passes for 109 yards and one touchdown. Running back Antoin Dewalt rushed for 82 yards on a 13 carries after entering the game in the second quarter.

"It was big because we heard some talking that we're not supposed to be No. 1, that the teams we played weren't good enough," Borden said. "We just wanted to show we're supposed to be there."

Waipahu (3-2, 3-1) was led by quarterback Gil Fernandez, who ran for 92 yards out of the Marauders' option scheme and scored Waipahu's lone touchdown in the second quarter.

But Pearl City held the Marauders to 182 yards as a team. Waipahu averaged 322.3 yards in total offense in its first three conference games.

"We practiced really hard as far as trying to shut down their option and a lot of their counters," Bicoy said. "The quarterback does an excellent job as far as his reads, so you have to really play it honest and you have to really play assignment football. We had some breakdowns, but (the defense) did an excellent job overall."

Pearl City got some help in taking the early lead, as the Chargers' first drive of the game was extended when Waipahu was called for holding on a punt attempt. Pearl City capitalized six plays later when Borden's lob down the left side was caught by Jarrett Questel for a 42-yard touchdown.

Waipahu answered in the second quarter, aided by a special-teams miscue by Pearl City. A high snap on a punt attempt gave Waipahu possession at the Chargers' 20 and Fernandez scored on a 10-yard keeper around the right side.

But the snap on the PAT attempt was mishandled and Waipahu went into halftime trailing 7-6.

Pearl City opened the second half with a 31-yard kickoff return by Dewalt and padded the lead by driving 57 yards on eight plays. A 9-yard scramble by Borden on third and 5 extended the drive and his 13-yard keeper set up Chris Gitten's 5-yard TD run up the middle.

With both teams controlling the ball on the ground, Waipahu had just three possessions in the second half.

The Marauders drove to the Pearl City 27 on their only drive of the third quarter, but a fumbled snap was recovered by Chargers linebacker Troy Antoque to end the threat.

Nanakuli 40, Kalani 7

Chase McGill passed for one touchdown and rushed for two as the Golden Hawks routed the Falcons for their first win of the season.

Keoki Kaeha rushed for 53 yards and two touchdowns, while Waimea McKeague led the Golden Hawk ground attack with 61 yards on seven carries.

Roosevelt 39, Anuenue 7

The Rough Riders threw four touchdown passes and got another touchdown each on special teams and defense to blitz Na Koa last night at Moanalua.

Roosevelt quarterback Lowen Kahooilihala completed 22 of 29 passes to seven different receivers for 170 yards in the game.

MIL
Kamehameha-Maui 33, Maui 17

Kaui Owan ran in two touchdowns to lead the Warriors over the Sabers.

Down 9-3 in the second quarter, the Warriors scored 23 unanswered points. The Warriors improved to 2-3, while the Sabers fell to 1-4.